HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 240

HAND: 9½"

ARM: 31¾"

WINGSPAN: 74⅜"

40-YARD DASH: N/A

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: 33.5"

BROAD: 10'1"

POSITIVES

— Good size for an NFL linebacker.

— Shows an understanding of when to shoot gaps versus zone runs to get unblocked tackles for loss or near the line of scrimmage.

— Decent speed when crashing downhill.

— Fluid hips and fast enough to carry tight ends on vertical routes in man coverage.

NEGATIVES

— Lacks strength and has shorter arms that limit his extension and ability to stack and shed as a run defender.

— Has a habit of overpursuing on the back side of gap runs.

— Subpar lateral movement skills. Often stumbles when changing directions.

— Questionable awareness in zone coverage. Often leaves receivers open in his area and doesn't read the quarterback's eyes well to anticipate throws.

2023 STATISTICS

— 14 G, 101 TOT, 10.5 TFL, 1 SK, 2 INT, 2 PD, 1 FF

NOTES

— Born Nov. 28, 2001

— 3-star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— No major injuries

OVERALL

Jaylan Ford is a highly decorated and highly productive linebacker. The two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection had 220 total tackles over the last two years combined. He certainly looks the part of an NFL linebacker at 6'2" and 240 pounds, which is big for the modern version of the position.

Ford has decent instincts against zone runs and the speed to shoot gaps and get unblocked tackles near the line of scrimmage. However, he struggles to take on blocks and hold his ground against offensive linemen and good blocking tight ends. His strength is an issue, but he's already full-framed, so he might be tapped out here. Also, his shorter arms will make it difficult for him to get much extension on blocks, even with more strength.

In coverage, the Texas product has fluid hips and enough linear speed to stay in phase versus tight ends in man coverage. But his awareness in zone coverage isn't consistent, as he'll often leave pass-catchers wide open in his area as the middle hook defender and doesn't read the quarterback's eyes well.

Overall, Ford's linear speed and size can help him contribute on special teams, and he has good enough instincts to serve as a backup linebacker in the NFL.

GRADE: 5.9 (Backup/Draftable — 6th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 183

POSITION RANK: LB13

PRO COMPARISON: Shades of Mykal Walker

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

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